and if I asked you to name all the things that you love….

My colleague Quetzo showed me this image when she was updating a presentation we were giving together. How painstakingly true is this message? For people in general yes, but especially for those who struggle with eating disorders. How is it that we live in a world where we would rank coffee or shopping, clothes sizes etc over ourselves? When did we learn to become last on our list?

I found this meme not only inspiring but also a reminder to check myself. What am I prioritizing over myself and my wellbeing? In what ways do I make other parts of my life a priority over what I really need to be my best self with others?

So often in my office I hear the fears of taking a position of self-love in one’s life. Isn’t that arrogant? Doesn’t that make me selfish? What does it even mean to love myself? The fear of not knowing how to love oneself makes staying in a place of self-neglect feel safer.

But what if it makes you happy? What if self love could be the answer to a lot of your suffering? It isn’t that self-love fixes everything, but I do believe that when we love ourselves, we replace our self neglect, punishment and abuse, with kindness, patience and compassion. Where there was once disdain there is now respect. These things can carry us a long way on our journey to wellness. I would go so far as to say these things are required to really heal and recover from an eating disorder.

In life, I think one of the our greatest journey’s is our journey to self love. Our relationship with self is often the hardest one to reconcile when it has been disconnected or destructive. It is also the relationship that brings the greatest peace. So if you are reading this maybe spend some time on this beautiful Sunday and ask yourself, how long would it take me to list myself? And what action step can I take in this exact moment to move myself closer to the #1 spot.